In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Blacktip Reef Shark in 6 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Blacktip Reef Shark.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Blacktip Reef Shark - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: First, draw half of an oval for the head of your shark. Make a notch near the curve for the mouth.
Step 2: Draw the face of your shark by bringing a line from the nose of the shark to the end of the head. Fill in a circle that is touching this line for the eye.
Step 3: Draw the body using six straight lines. Leave open spaces for where the fins will go later.
Step 4: Next, make the upper fins. The black fin should be much shorter than the top fin. Both fins should arch so that their points are directed away from the shark's head.
Step 5: Then, draw the large, triangular tail with two small points which help your shark cut through the water.
Step 6: Now draw the lower fins in the spaces you left empty. The front fin should be thin and extremely sharp.
Step 7: Make your shark unique by adding its body lines. Be sure to add the curved line to the tip of your shark's upper fin.
Interesting Facts about the Blacktip Reef Shark
The blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) can be easily identified by the black tip on its dorsal fin. It prefers shallow waters in the Indian and Pacific Ocean, and its black tip peeking out of the ocean is a common sight in some areas.
Did you know?
- Blacktip reef sharks eat bony fish, crustaceans, and sea snakes.
- Due to their nervous and shy nature, they are rarely a threat to humans. However, humans wading around them risk being bit accidentally.
- These sharks typically grow to be about five feet long.
- Reports of pregnancy among these sharks differ, anywhere from 6-16 months. Like all sharks, blacktip reef sharks do not lay eggs, but instead give birth to live young.
- Since it is very slow to breed, the blacktip reef shark is considered near threatened even though it is quite common.
- It is commonly hunted for its meat and tail fins.
Lesson plan note: Although sharks are feared, most sharks are like the blacktip reef shark and are rarely a threat to humans. Discuss why our culture has developed a fear of sharks, even though severe attacks and death rates due to sharks are very low.
How to Draw a Blacktip Reef Shark – Step-by-Step Tutorial